The present disclosure generally relates to display packaging and containers, and more particularly, to the display packaging of mattresses and display containers packaging and displaying a mattress.
A mattress is a product in demand by consumers generally throughout the year, albeit demand is not necessarily even throughout the year. Mattresses generally include top and bottom planar surfaces and sidewalls extending from the top and bottom planar surfaces, wherein the top and bottom planar surfaces are configured for use as a one sided or a two sided mattress. Mattresses are manufactured in several sizes, the most common sizes being referred to as king size, queen size and standard size. Mattresses are also made in smaller or substandard sizes for special purposes. Characteristically however, most if not all are bulky, relatively heavy, and quite difficult to handle in part because of their flexibility, size and weight. Moreover, it takes considerable space to store mattresses for which reason retail establishments must customarily set aside a relatively large area for the storage and display of mattresses.
The packaging of mattresses for shipping, distribution, handling and eventual sale presents a formidable challenge given the size and nature of the product. In order to provide substantial protection from damage and soiling to maintain the “as new” condition required for retail marketing and sale, widespread use of heavier gauge plastic film as a wrapping material is oftentimes used to encapsulate the mattress. The formation of a plastic film package about a mattress has been automated, as described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,934,041; 6,178,723 and 6,273,257.
When displayed in retail establishments, the, plastic wrapped mattresses do not provide the support required to stand the mattress on a sidewall and oftentimes require the establishment to stack the mattresses on the planar surfaces or provide additional support structures when seated on a sidewall.